Pollutants In My Environment - An Introduction to the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI)

This document provides an introduction to the National Pollutant Release Inventory. Its purpose is to demonstrate the many possible uses of this research tool. We hope that it will help you to be more effective in working to protect the quality of our environment.

The National Pollutant Release Inventory is constantly evolving. Substances and facilities may change from year to year. Publications are updated annually, new tools are produced, and new methods for gathering information are developed. Keep your eyes open for the innovations that regularly appear on the web site. The data included in the inventory, however accurate, represent only part of the picture, a fraction of all the chemical products discharged or transferred to the Canadian environment.

Other substances (for example, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane) are reported in other inventories or administered under other programs. Moreover, pollutant releasing facilities are only required to report to the NPRI if they meet a number of criteria (number of employees, quantities manufactured, processed or otherwise used or transferred, etc). For this reason it is important to gather information from a number of sources available across the country to obtain a more complete understanding of the situation.

Another consideration is that the impact of releases depends on a range of factors: the toxicity of the substance, conditions and duration of exposure, type of release and target environment (water, air or soil). Large releases of one substance may do less damage than another, even if the quantities vary widely.

Finally, the NPRI, despite its limitations, is an effective and useful tool for citizens who want to learn more and get involved in environmental protection. Everyone can use the inventory data to help improve the quality of our environment.